It really shines in the assisted brake mode though! Belay & Rappel Devices. Add to Cart. The Giga Jul claims to work on ropes from 7.1mm to 10mm. As the only tube-style and passive (read: no moving parts) assisted-braking device in this review, the Mega Jul Sport relies purely on the geometry of the device and the angle of the rope to catch a fall. TR and Lead Belay in Manual Mode: When using the Giga Jul in the manual brake position to belay a lead climber it works much the same as any regular tube-style device. The Giga Jul utilizes a hybrid design combining steel and aluminum. UKClimbing is a vibrant web site with rich content and an amazing community. Sport Climbing with a Single Rope Skip to the beginning of the images gallery. The SI prefix "mega" represents a factor of 10 6, or in exponential notation, 1E6. For situation-dependent belaying and abseiling, especially in alpine terrain. This can be in a small way or in a larger package that includes discounted products from our sister-publishing company Rockfax. So it looks like they're fixed the problem with the megajul that you need to re-feed the ropes to switch between manual and guide mode - great. An alternative method is to lower your braking hand on the trailing rope and then use your other upper hand to tip the device up to release. I did use the Mega Jul and found it awkward for abseiling, particularly if you thread it the brake assist way. In September Black Diamond and Visit Innsbruck teamed up to invite UKClimbing, among others, to the World Youth Championships. Not surprisingly, the sweet spot for single ropes with the Giga Jul lays at the bottom end of the spectrum in the 8.5 to 9mm range. This includes when it’s used for belaying normally from the bottom of a pitch, when used in guide-mode / top-down belay and even when rappelling. There is nothing funnier than watching someone attempt to ab down the verdon gorge with one of them mega jul things. There is a right and a wrong way to thread the device but, as long as you are in manual mode, then both will work safely. It’s not without a few drawbacks though. Most usually this will be with the device in brake assist mode. Unique in that it offers an assisted belay mode with the flip of a switch, much like the Mammut Smart. However, how binary is the locking in guide mode when you need to release the rope - is it like most other guide mode belay devices in being either locked or not, or can you do a more gradual release like the DMM Pivot? The Edelrid Giga Jul accepts ropes from 7.1 mm to 10.0 mm, with an optimal single rope diameter of 8.6 mm to 9.7 mm for braking assisted mode. Those who prefer the camming style brake assist of the GriGri, CAMP Matik, Mad Rock Lifeguard, Edelrid Eddy etc would need to change their belay style since it is a different action. Top-Down, Direct Anchor Belay: When belaying a second up directly off an anchor with the Giga Jul, the rope seems to rub on the edges of the device even more than when belaying from below—even with skinny, sub-9mm single ropes. The most versatile ever belay device. I used the Mega Jul in a climbing self-rescue course and it was excellent. The GIGA JUL: A new innovation from EDELRID . These fed well and gave good locking when required without being a total lock, including in brake assist mode. Instant free online tool for giga to mega conversion or vice versa. The Jul 2 is a single rope assisted braking device, the Mega Jul takes two ropes and has a sport climbing version as well, and the Micro Jul is the incredibly lightweight version of this for use with Edelrid's super-thin alpine ropes. The range is now exclusively assisted-braking only, hence the original Jul is no longer available. Overall for trad climbing the Giga Jul in manual mode is as efficient as any device on the market. The Edelrid Giga Jul is firmly on the thinner end of the spectrum by the ATC Alpine Guide, which is specifically designed for half and twin ropes. With all the different belay devices on the market it can be hard to decide on a particular one. In manual mode though it works perfectly as any guide mode device would do and is probably slightly better than using the device set up for conventional brake assist if the fixed belay is high. This is well illustrated on the device itself. We need to look at ways to keep the site moving forward whilst maintaining our key aim of allowing free access to everyone to our main content. The Giga Jul is a standard and assisted braking tuber in one. Access to a year's subscription to Rockfax Digital. Firstly, the device is much larger and heavier than any of the other Juls. Skip to the end of the images gallery. The Half and Twin ropes that I tested with the Giga Jul worked quite well though. The only difficulty with this is subtle manipulation of the ropes independent of each other - so taking in with one rope and paying out with the other at the same time is almost impossible. If you appreciate UKClimbing then please help us by becoming a UKC Supporter. $49.95 . View all posts by Monte Johnston. In Manual mode the Giga Jul rappels much the same as any tube style belay device and provides a smooth ride so long as it’s paired with a nice round carabiner. Also, explore tools to convert giga or mega to other prefixes units or learn more about prefixes conversions. In the Alps though it is more common. Pros: Intuitive and easy to use, very smooth assisted brake rappel, works great with half and twin ropes, Cons: Heavy, lots of friction with thicker ropes and top-down direct anchor belays. However, owing to the complex nature of the different modes, this is not totally straightforward to get right and takes a bit of getting used to. Its advanced safety reserves, which result from its assisted braking when arresting a fall, makes the use of this type of device especially advisable. The assisted braking function which supports the braking force can be activated or disabled by an intelligent mechanism. You can gamble on something new that requires a bit of re-education or stick with what you already know. It's light, it offers loads of grip for secure belaying, and it works smoothly on a range of rope diameters - what's not to like? The SI prefix "mega" represents a factor of 10 6, or in exponential notation, 1E6. Basic sport climbing holding position with the thumb in the thumb loop, Fast feed position with the thumb pulling upwards on the thumb loop, Locked for fall or lowering is natural with the hand already in position through the thumb loop, Alternative method for lowering keeping the brake hand lower and tilting the device with your other hand to give better control, Double rope use in locked position with the thumb loop upwards and out of the way, Independent feed of the ropes for technical belaying while trad climbing. If you need to take in the rope if your leader is retreating, or has taken in too much slack for a clip, then you have to release the thumb loop to take in. I especially love the smooth assisted brake when rappelling and often take it with me on routes requiring technical descents or half ropes. This is slightly tricky to get used to. I've done the majority of my climbing for the last 5 years I guess now with a Mega Jul, including lots of abseiling. It had two modes- … As I've already implied, one of the main problems with brake assist belay devices is that you don't always want brake assist. View at REI. The advantages to having both styles of belay and rappel device are apparent when switching over from belaying a lead climber to belaying a second in guide mode, or when rappelling. Try and pull the rope through the device without holding the trailing rope and it will pretty much lock. If there's a big weight difference between lead climber and belayer, the Edelrid Ohm offers a genuine safety gain. I measured the rope gap width for a selection of belay devices and have summarized them in the below table. Please note our climbing return policy. With a bit of practice this can be relatively easy but perhaps not as smooth as some single rope brake assist devices on the market. Lastly, it does take practice to smoothly lead belay using a Mega Jul. At first the Mega Jul appears to be another plaquette-style belay device with two slots for double-rope rappels, an external "ear" for auto-block mode, an unlocking eye and a keeper cable. So whilst brake assist devices have virtually taken over for most single rope sport climbing scenarios, hardly anyone uses them for trad climbing. The mega [M] to giga [G] conversion table and conversion steps are also listed. In this case you usually only take the rope in and having it on brake assist is actually a bonus, especially if your following climber needs a tight rope since you can do this easily without having to sustain tension with your brake hand. So where does the Giga Jul fit into the range? Traditional in the sense that it can operate the same as the ever popular ATC or Reverso. In the brake assist mode, the large thumb loop is required for rope feed and braking for lowering. INSPECTION INSTRUCTION / SUMMARIES. It is the precursor to the Edelrid Giga Jul, which outperforms it in nearly every way, except for price and weight. … Giga Jul Mega Jul Sport Mega Jul Micro Jul JUL² Guide Mode Additional Eyelet Single Rope Belay Twin/Half Rope Belay Rope Diameter 7.1 – 10.0 mm 7.9 – 11.0 mm 7.8 – 10.5 mm 6.9 – 8.0 mm 8.9 –11.0 mm Weight 100 g 88 g 65 g 62 g 105 g Over 150 years of EDELRID … We have used it for sport climbing, trad climbing and abseiling, so those are the main areas we will focus on here. One demerit to Edelrid for nearly doubling the weight from the Mega Jul (120g vs 65g, respectively). The thing works okay for belaying on thin skinny single ropes, but for everything else it sucks beyond belief. Once again this is very straightforward and operation is just like most standard twin rope belay devices. Now that we know how it works, let’s look into how well (or not) it works. You can ab the normal way with a prussik if you want but the locking mode with an additional krab as a handle works great. Because of the way the carabiner sits in a small cut-out of the side, the extra carabiner actually pulls the rope out further and reduces friction while defeating the assisted brake. Visually the Giga Jul is similar in size, or slightly bigger, to a lot of guide plates that are now available - but with a larger thumb loop. Setting up the device properly is also easier, as you simply set it up as you would to belay in non-brake assisted belay mode. The belay technique is similar to any other tube-style device, but when feeding slack, the belayer must hold the thumb loop so the rope will run through the device without locking up. The performance of a belay device is heavily influenced by the diameter and condition of the climbing rope used. Mega Jul Belay Kit Bulletproof Screw. For situation-dependent belaying and abseiling, especially in alpine terrain. The Mega Jul weighs just 65 grams and can be used for double or single ropes from 7.8mm to 10.5mm. Jul 2. The Jul 2 is a single rope assisted braking device, the Mega Jul takes two ropes and has a sport climbing version as well, and the Micro Jul is the incredibly lightweight version of this for use with Edelrid's super-thin alpine ropes. I think this is due to the sharp, non-beveled edges along the top of the side plates. The Giga Jul combines all the advantages of our best-selling Mega Jul with those of a standard tuber. Please help UKClimbing continue to provide varied and free content by becoming an official UKC Supporter. However, different belay devices offer different geometries which means that they have different sweet spots when it comes to rope diameter. Carabiners. The MSRP is $50. The Giga Jul is much better for this in fact it is as good as any standard tuber-style belay device on the market. Not a huge problem but there is a gap then as you slip your hand back up the rope into the thumb position. However, the same side-rubbing issue is found when taking in slack using a single rope, making it a bit less smooth. Assisted braking belay devices help catch a leader fall by doing some of the braking work for you. Edelrid is also making a sister device, the Micro Jul (not tested), that weighs 60 grams and is meant for half ropes in the 6.9mm to 8.9mm range. This will stand out for those of you that are Mega Jul users. Via Ferrata. We haven't used it much in the alpine guide mode which isn't a common use in the UK - although we will look at that briefly in this review. Simply put, it is like comparing rappelling with an ATC to rappelling in non-brake assisted mode on a Mega Jul. For situation-dependent belaying and abseiling, especially in alpine terrain. There is a right way to thread the device depending on which mode you are in. The main difference is the movable bar in the twin rope slots which enables you to switch between the two modes. The advantage of doing it this way is that you can retain better control with your braking hand. The Giga Jul was released in the spring of 2019, and is designed as the successor to the Edelrid Mega Jul. It is comparable to the Salewa Ergo, Mammut Smart, Black Diamond ATC Pilot type of device but not quite as smooth as the Climbing Technology Click-up. The Giga Jul is a standard and assisted braking tuber in one. The Giga Jul combines the tried and true mechanics of a tube style belay device, and incorporates an auto-locking function that can be used with the slide of a switch. Well it still functions but it doesn't really offer any brake assist and taking in the rope is awkward since taking in is now where the brake assist is being applied. It’s less noticeable when belaying from below, but more on that in the belay performance section below. 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